Penstemon plant named ‘Dopenspriscarl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant named ‘Dopenspriscarl’, characterized by its upright and tall plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Penstemon barbatus x heterophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPENSPRISCARL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPenstemon plant, botanically known as Penstemon barbatus x heterophyllusand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dopenspriscarl’.

The new Penstemon plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to create new freely-branching Penstemon plantswith attractive flower color.

The new Penstemon plant originated from an open-pollination in July,2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection ofPenstemon barbatus x heterophyllus identified as code number PE-0005,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selectionof Penstemon barbatus x heterophyllus as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Penstemon plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, TheNetherlands in May, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Penstemon plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands sinceJune, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Penstemonplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Penstemon have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dopenspriscarl’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dopenspriscarl’ as a new and distinctPenstemon plant:

-   -   1. Upright and tall plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Red-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Penstemon differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Penstemon are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Penstemon and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the new Penstemon have        red-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent        selection have dark red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Penstemon can be compared to plants of Penstemonbarbatus x heterophyllus ‘Dopensprisderos’, disclosed in U.S. Plantpatent application 16/501,822 filed concurrently. Plants of the newPenstemon and ‘Dopensprisderos’ differ primarily in flower color asplants of the new Penstemon have red-colored flowers whereas plants of‘Dopensprisderos’ have bright red purple-colored flowers. In addition,plants of the new Penstemon are taller than plants of ‘Dopensprisderos’.

Plants of the new Penstemon can also be compared to plants of Penstemonschmidel ‘Marble Riding Hood’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent number23,098. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Penstemon and‘Marble Riding Hood’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Penstemon are taller than plants of ‘Marble        Riding Hood’.    -   2. Plants of the new Penstemon are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Marble Riding Hood’.    -   3. Plants of the new Penstemon have smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Marble Riding Hood’.    -   4. Plants of the new Penstemon have red-colored flowers whereas        plants of ‘Marble Riding Hood’ have light red purple and        white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Penstemon plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Penstemon plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Dopenspriscarl’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersof ‘Dopenspriscarl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 17-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Penstemon production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 17° C. Plants were pinched one time and were threemonths old when the photographs were taken and 22 weeks old when thedetailed description was taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Penstemon barbatus x heterophyllus    ‘Dopenspriscarl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Penstemon            barbatus x heterophyllus identified as code number PE-0005,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of            Penstemon barbatus x heterophyllus, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days            at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days            at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; upright and tall plant            habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 48 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity of lateral branches: Freely            branching habit, about ten to twelve primary lateral            branches develop per plant. Length: About 48 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 4.5 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, developing: Close to 144B occasionally            tinged with close to 60A. Color, developed: Close to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 19 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single            bi-labiate flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowers            face mostly outwardly; freely flowering with about 30 to 34            flowers developing per inflorescence; about 200 flower buds            and about 300 to 340 open flowers developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin to            flower about twelve weeks after planting.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants            flower from June to August in The Netherlands; flowers last            about two weeks on the plant, flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 3            mm to 5 mm. Shape: Elongate ovoid. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 30 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 cm.        -   Flower width (horizontal).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower length (vertical).—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five, fused into a tube; bi-labiate,            upper lip with two upper petals and lower lip with three            lower petals. Length, upper and lower lips: About 1.2 cm.            Width, upper and lower lips: About 6 mm. Shape: Rounded.            Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 50A. When opening, lower surface:            Proximally, close to 51B; distally, close to 50A. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 54A; venation, close to 54A;            color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Proximally, close to 51B; distally, close to 51A;            venation, proximally, close to 71A and distally, close to            51A; color does not change with development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused in a single whorl.            Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing and fully            developed, upper surface: Close to 141B. Developing and            fully developed, lower surface: Close to 141B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 48 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Aspect: Upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            141B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Filament length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Filament color: Close            to 155B. Anther size: About 2 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Oval            to rounded. Anther color: Close to 164B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155C. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm to 2.2 cm. Style            length: About 1.8 cm to 2 cm. Style color: Close to 155D.            Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cylindrical.            Stigma color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Penstemon.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Penstemon have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from −5° C. to 30° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Penstemon    have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common    to Penstemon plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Penstemon plant named‘Dopenspriscarl’ as illustrated and described.